We don’t want to see clanking of arms on campus: PM

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today directed Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders and activists to maintain congenial atmosphere at educational institutions, saying her government doesn’t want to see clanking of firearms on the campus.

“I would like to tell Chhatra League leaders and workers that we don’t want to see demonstration of firearms on the campus . . . we don’t want such incidents take place on the campus,” she said as BCL leaders called on her at the premier’s Ganabhaban residence.

Sheikh Hasina said most of the country’s educational institutions previously witnessed session jams for years together due to their unscheduled closure for jangling of firearms.

“Students had gone through such a bad time that their age limit for job expired for waiting for examinations due to session jams,” she said.

The BCL central leaders called on her on the occasion of the 69th founding anniversary of the country’s oldest and biggest student organisation.

BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag and General Secretary SM Zakir Hossain also spoke at the function held at the green lawn of Ganabhaban.

The premier said her government has now been able to keep the educational institutions free from session jam by undertaking various steps.

“The educational institutions witnessed massive changes after our government first took office in 1996 . . . holding of examinations on regular basis and introduction of semester system and GPA contributed to bringing these changes,” she said.
The prime minister urged the BCL leaders and workers to be vocal against militancy, terrorism and drug addition side by side with pursuing study and create mass awareness about these social menaces.

“I want you would build mass awareness against militancy, terrorism and drug addiction when you visit your locality or other places . . . it would help the government to root out these social vices from the country,” she said, adding ensuring desired development of the country is possible if peaceful atmosphere prevails.

The premier advised the BCL leaders and workers to be attentive to their study to groom themselves as good citizens and work for the people by remaining at the honest way.

“I want you would pursue education attentively to pass the examination on time. I want you would step into livelihood to serve the people by staying at honest path,” she said.

The prime minister also urged them to attain leadership quality alongside pursuing education to steer the nation in future.

Pointing out the rampage and mayhem unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat in 2013, 2014 and 2015, Sheikh Hasina said numerous innocent people were killed due to arson attacks of the BNP-Jamaat nexus.

“Hundreds of people including school students, women, and children have been burnt after falling victims of the fire terrorism that BNP-Jamaat carried out in three years,” she said.

Describing militancy as a global phenomenon, the premier said her government has taken a firm stance to stamp out this social menace.

“The law enforcement agencies are dealing militancy in iron hand, while we have been creating mass awareness against terrorism and militancy by involving the people of all strata including imams, teachers, guardians, students,” she said.
Referring to burning people to death and torching and destroying public and private property like buses, trucks, trains, launches, primary schools by the BNP-Jamaat, the premier said the future of many children were destroyed due to arson attacks during that time.

Sheikh Hasina expressed her hope that the BNP and its leadership would refrain from doing such acts again as the people would certainly forge resistance against such misdeeds.

The prime minister asked the BCL leaders and workers develop themselves as future leaders keeping pace with the competitive world to represent the country.

She also suggested them to visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and witness parliament sessions to learn more lessons and history of the nation.

“Chhatra League has a glorious history and its leaders and members played pivotal role in every achievement of the country starting from the language movement to the war of liberation and all democratic movements,” she said.

She said BCL leaders and workers have an extra social responsibility they will have to keep themselves away from drug addiction and motivate others to stay away from the menace saying “it pushes people to death”.

“You will have to keep yourselves free from drug addiction as it causes physical and mental damage and destroys life and family as well,” she said.

Terming the people of the country as the main strength, the Prime Minister urged Chhatra League leaders to go to grassroots and highlight her government’s various welfare oriented success stories before the common people.

She advised them to be economical in using electricity and water and to look at downwards instead of upwards saying that they will have to stumble otherwise.

Sheikh Hasina suggested the BCL leaders and activists of the student to plant tree in their institutions and protect all property of institutions by keeping those neat and clean as these are national wealth.

Pointing to the issue of Padma Bridge construction work, the premier said the World Bank cancelled the funding by raiding a false allegation of corruption which it could not prove.

As a result, she said, self confidence of her government has further boosted for which it can speak boldly keeping heads high, saying honesty is the main power.